This invention is generally related to the closure removal arts and, in particular, is directed to a tool apparatus and method for easily removing a PVC plastic plug from a sewer pipe. As will be appreciated by those of skill in the art, the principles set forth will also have utility generally in the closure removal arts.
In modern-day home construction, a sewer line from the new home is typically sealed off or plugged to await connection to the main sewer drain line for the housing development. Such plugging is done via a PVC plastic device which is used to seal the sewer line.
At a later time, a professional plumber or sewer contractor must remove the plug to accomplish hook-up to the main sewer line.
The plug, being tightly fit into the pipe, is usually difficult to remove with known tools in the art. Such difficulty in removal often results in damage to the sewer pipe itself when tools such as hammers and chisels are used to remove the pipe plug.
The difficulty of plug removal is also time consuming and hence dangerous since the contractor is often working in a ditch which is subject to collapse during construction.
It would therefore be highly significant in the art to design a tool which could simply and easily remove a sewer pipe plug.
The need for an efficient means of sewer pipe plug removal has been recognized in the art in U.S. Pat. No. 4,691,424 issued to Schmidt et al in 1987. Such design has proven to be overly complex and costly. It has also proven to be not useable universally for the variety of sewer pipe plug arrangements encountered in typical home construction environments.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to demonstrate a plug removing tool which may be economically manufactured and sold on a widespread basis.
It is also an object of the invention to set forth a plug removal tool which may be attached and used without damage to the sewer pipe itself.
It is a further object of the invention to demonstrate a plug puller tool by which the pipe plug can be quickly removed to save construction time and risk of injury to the plumbing contractor.
It is a still further object of the invention to set forth a puller tool which is of simplified construction so that it may be easily attached to the plug without the need for the complex tool assemblies of the prior art.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those of skill in the art from the description which follows.